Lost King
by Wish Upon A Warrior Cat
Summary: Eight years ago, the heir to Berk vanished. Thought to be dead, the Vikings of Berk continue the only life they've ever known - fighting dragons. But half a world away, and eight years wiser, Hiccup lives. What happens when unforseen circumstances causes him to return to a place he no longer calls home?
1. Chapter 1

"Dragon raid!"

The cries were all too familiar. The indistinct shouts of men rose as weapons were raised to clash with the fire-breathing beasts they called their mortal enemy. Fire met shield and dragon met man in a ferocious clash of claw and axe.

Astrid Hofferson was no different in this raid. The young shieldmaiden of twenty-two hoisted her axe above her head and stared right into the eyes of an approaching Nadder. Letting a guttural war cry rip from her throat, the young woman raised her axe and met the intruding dragon with every strike. She countered the Nadder's tail spikes with slashes of her own, attempting to lodge her axe deep into its pale belly. Finally, she heard the distinct sound of flesh giving way to metal, and the squawk of pain from the Nadder. She could see thick dragon blood beginning to spill out of the cut. Forcing back a grimace, Astrid spun around and charged back into battle.

"Astrid!" The young blonde turned around to meet the eyes of her chief, Stoick the Vast. His thick auburn beard had grayed with age and ever growing worry for the village of Berk.

"Yes chief?" she asked, meeting his green eyes. Stoick gripped the handle of his axe tightly.

"I need ya ta stay with the children," he said in his deep, throaty growl, nodding his head back towards the Kill Ring. "I put them in the Kill Ring. Hurry, lass." Astrid nodded to her chief, before taking off running towards the metal pen.

She passed Snotlout grappling with a Gronckle, grunting in effort as he swung his battle axe around. His eyes snapped over to where Astrid was running, and visibly began to fight harder against his rocky opponent. "Hey babe!" he called, giving her a cheesy smile while she ran past him. Even after all these years, the Jorgenson was still intent in his pursue of her hand. Astrid rolled her eyes, clutching her battle axe tighter and breaking into a dead sprint. She slowed to a stop in front of the heavy wooden doors that provided entry into the Kill Ring. She grunted, pulling the doors open to find a dozen five year olds clustered together, looking terrified and well...un-Vikinglike. Astrid sighed, lowering her axe and ushering the kids into one of the old dragon pens.

"Stay here," she ordered, looking directly at the oldest child, six year old Eirik Asketill. Eirik gave her a scared nod, terror masking his features. Astrid turned back towards the entrance, pressing the children back against the wall as a Zippleback landed on the caged roof and began to peer inside. She narrowed her eyes, waiting for the familiar stench of Zippleback gas and the spark that would end her life.

You see, Berk had been much different less than a decade ago. Eight years, to be in fact. The dragon raids were more frequent now, and definitely more deadly. The village of Berk didn't get the normal dragons either. Sure, there were Zipplebacks and Gronckles and Nightmares, but dragons not even found in the Book had arrived. Of course, eight years is a long time. Back then, Stoick still had a son. His name was Hiccup Haddock, or Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. He wasn't like other Vikings - nothing about him screamed 'Viking'. He was a scrawny boy with his dad's famous auburn hair and striking green eyes. He preferred reading to fighting, and often stayed at the forge, always working on some new, crazy invention. Hiccup was awkward and clumsy, and a mess always seemed to follow him everywhere he went. Astrid preferred to stay in the background and watch the other teens as they messed around with the young Haddock. Now, all Astrid had were memories. Hiccup had disappeared eight years ago. Stoick had given up one year of his life trying to look for his son, but he was never found. Most Vikings just assumed he had been carried off by a dragon and eaten. And Astrid? Well, she didn't know what to believe. But the memories were clear.

 _Eight Years Ago:_

" _Hiccup!" Astrid shouted, both hands firmly clenching her battle axe. She had never been one to talk to, or about the Haddock boy. In fact, she hated associating herself with anyone even remotely related to him._

 _Fourteen year old Astrid Hofferson marched her way towards Haddock Hall, a scowl twisting her features. She stopped in front of the door of her chief's house, hands clenching tighter around her poor axe handle. She raised her axe, about to strike the door down, before hesitating, thinking better than to destruct her chief's door. The Hofferson girl then lowered her axe and knocked, three sharp raps that meant business. She waited, a fog of her own breath coming out in the chilly evening air. No answer. Grumbling about useless Haddocks, she knocked again. Again she waited, standing as patiently as she could in the middle of her anger-induced rampage. No answer. Having waited enough and her patience worn thin, Astrid kicked the door open to reveal an eerily silent house._

" _Hiccup!" she shouted into the dark room. No one answered her call. "Hiccup Haddock!" she tried again. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third!" she shouted. "Who do you think you are, you son of a half-troll? If you weren't the chief's son, I would strangle you right now!" Strangely yet, no answer came from the house. Gritting her teeth, Astrid found her way into the back room, expecting a cowering Hiccup hiding beneath his bed. Instead, the room was strangely empty, clean and organized beyond a usual Viking's standards. Her eyes caught a sheet of paper nailed to Hiccup's desk, and she picked it up, noting the curious red stain at the bottom of the page._

 _It was addressed to Stoick._

 _Not being able to help herself, Astrid unfurled the letter and began to read._

" _Dear Father,_

 _It pains me that I have to write this through a letter to you. I know Astrid is looking for me, and if you are reading this, Astrid, I need you to give this letter to my Dad._

 _Anyways, carrying on. Dad, do you remember that night of the dragon raid, when I went against yours and Gobber's orders? I remember I told you I had shot down a Night Fury, but you didn't believe me. Turns out, I was right. That Night Fury landed somewhere near Raven's Point, and I found him._

 _And me, being the stupid Viking I am, I decided to free him. Yeah yeah, I know what you're going to say. "Hiccup Haddock! How could you let that dragon go free? You could've killed him right then and there!" I don't know why I did it. But I did. And that dragon let me go free too. Dad, he didn't kill me._

 _I don't have much time. I can almost feel him, prowling at the edges of Berk and entering my nightmares. I know he's here. You always said that a chief protects his own - so that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to kill that Night Fury and bring his heart back and I -"_

 _The letter stopped short, leaving Astrid to guess what had happened next._

 _Horror wasn't a feeling that the Hofferson girl felt often. She prided herself in being indifferent, stone faced and stone hearted so that in the face of her mortal enemy, she would not weaken and betray her village. And yet, right now, intruding in her chief's house and reading the last thing he had of his son, she felt horrified. And so she ran, clutching her axe and letter in hand as she bolted out of Haddock Hall and right into Stoick._

" _Chief!" she gasped, bowing down slightly. Stoick raised one eyebrow._

" _What were you doing in my house?" he asked gruffly, peering down at her with his striking green eyes. Astrid couldn't meet his gaze._

" _I was looking for Hiccup," she lied through her teeth. "And he wasn't answering. I felt as if something was wrong so I went in and I found this letter in his room." Okay, it wasn't really a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth - though Astrid thought if she wanted to save her own skin she wouldn't include how she wanted to strangle Stoick's son. Stoick's eyebrows went up, before reaching a hand out to take the letter from Astrid. Not bothering to see his reaction, Astrid slid past the dumbfounded chief and bolted back to Hofferson Hall._

Of course, that was eight years ago. Astrid had forced the memories into the very back of her mind and focused on keeping her village safe, like she had sworn to do as a shieldmaiden. Shaking herself, she got into a battle stance and waited for the Zippleback to spot her and the clustered group of shaking children. Instead, the two headed monster turned away and began to fly, reaching the clouds and disappearing.

It was silent.

Astrid couldn't hear anymore angry shrieks or roaring dragons. Knowing the signs of the end of a dragon raid, she crept out, and motioned for the children to follow her. Opening the wooden doors of the Kill Ring, she helped each child out and waited for them to find their parents, leaning casually on her battle axe.

"Hey babe," Snotlout grinned, approaching her. Astrid scowled at him.

"Not now, Snotlout," she snapped. "Not ever, in fact," she added as an afterthought. Snotlout laughed, and Astrid shook her head. The Jorgenson boy was famous for his brawn and thick skull, and Astrid knew she would never be able to get the idea of courting her out of his head. Instead, she resorted to punching and strangling him, seeing as violence had always come to her rescue in situations like these.

"Astrid." Her attention was diverted by Fishlegs, followed by Ruffnut and their two year old daughter, Woodnut. Fishlegs and Ruffnut have been happily married for five years. Ruffnut was expecting her second child with Fishlegs, and the large man was hoping desperately for a little boy. Tuffnut, Ruffnut's twin, is engaged to a girl named Sigrid from the Bog Burglars. They had hooked up one summer when the Bog Burglars had came to Berk, and Tuff had been obsessed with the woman since. Astrid nodded at the large man.

"Hey 'Legs," she greeted. "What's up?" she asked. Fishlegs smiled at her. He opened his mouth to speak, and closed it again.

"Hey chief," he said instead, gaze reaching over Astrid's shoulder. He smiled nervously at the intimidating man. Stoick regarded Fishlegs with a long look, before simply nodding and turning his attention to Astrid.

"Well done with the kids, lass," he said in his heavy accent. "Gudrud gives her regards, and said that young Eirik is thankful." Astrid offered her chief a smile.

"Anything for the village, chief," she replied, dipping her head.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, half a world away..._

"Come on bud," The young man patted the black reptile under him. "Want to give it another go?" He asked. Large, bright green eyes came up to stare at him. The reptile let out a grunt of protest, eyes wide. "Toothless, it'll be fine," the man said. "One last time? I promise you extra fish tonight." Toothless's tongue lolled out, flapping in the wind, as if giving his assent. "Okay bud, you got it!"

The two pushed into a steep dive. Wind whistled past them, and a harmonic screech seemed to take up around the black bullet as it shot towards the ground at breakneck speeds. The man laughed, a deep, rich sound that joined the reptile's harmonic wail.

"Aeolus!"

Toothless shrieked, throwing out his wings at the mention of his rider's name. Aeolus, his rider, let out a small yelp at the sudden change in force, clinging to Toothless's back as he stabilized the two. The melodic hum that had encased the two stopped, and all Aeolus could hear was the sound of wingbeats pushing on air. Composing himself, Aeolus fixed his helmet before turning to face the voice that had interrupted his ride.

"Could you not scare me like that?" he pleaded, dusting himself off as the dragon carried his rider back to the main bridge. All he got was a laugh in reply.

"Aeolus, how many times do I need to remind you of the times you've put dragon dung in my shoes?" Aeolus grinned at the voice.

"Guilty as charged," he replied, taking his helmet off and letting his auburn hair out. Another laugh came from behind him as a slim girl with brown hair came to stand beside the twenty two year old man. "Now come on, Callistro, or else Queen Aeliana will have our heads!" Aeolus returned to his dragon's back and Callistro mounted her dragon. "Come on, bud," he whispered to his dragon. Toothless slapped Aeolus with his ear, before taking off and returning to the marble castle that sat at the top of Dragon Hill.

The two landed in the bustling North Wing, handing their dragons off to the stable hands and walking down a long hallway to their chambers.

"Aeolus," Callistro said, after a moment's hesitation. "I understand that you've never liked to share about your past before, but perhaps...perhaps us Guards could help you more if you would share with us what is happening." Aeolus stiffened at the mention of his dark history. He sighed, knowing that his Guards had the right to know of his past.

"I will tell you," he said, voice straining. "But...I don't feel ready. I think this is something I want to share with myself - at least for now." Callistro gave him a pained smile.

"Aeolus, we understand," she said gently. "But we still want to know." The man gave her a nod, indicating he had no wish to further the conversation. Dropping her disappointed gaze away, the woman walked off, retiring to her chambers. Aeolus stared after her, biting his lip, before closing the door to his own room.


	2. Chapter 2

**IMPORTANT NOTICE - I don't know when I can update. School is a pain in the butt, and on top of riding and dance, I don't know how often I can update. Please don't expect too much from me. I can't set a schedule, but I will finish this book (unlike all my other ones, haha).**

Astrid stared with half lidded eyes at the array of hopeful children - barely ten - standing in front of her. Six year old Eirik Asketill stood at the very front, gazing up at the shieldmaiden with wide eyes. The shadows of their parents loomed over the Kill Ring, serving a reminder to not back down. Astrid regarded them with a narrow gaze, before clearing her throat.

"So, you all want to be warriors of Berk?" she asked, looking each one of the young children in the eyes. "Do you?" she asked, axe dropping to the ground with a heavy thud. "Or is it that your parents want you to?" Her eyes drifted to Brenna Osburn, looking scared and sucking on her own hair. She beckoned to Brenna. "Brenna Osburn," she said. The young Osburn daughter trembled under the shieldmaiden's intense gaze. "Daughter of Ingrid and Sven Osburn. Do you think you have what it takes to be a warrior of Berk? Do you think you have what it takes to fight dragons and defend this village at the cost of your own life?" Brenna's eyes were wide. "Do you?" Astrid asked.

"Yes," Brenna managed in a small voice. She straightened slightly, her eyes flicking to meet Ingrid's gaze. "Yes," she said again, voice louder and stronger. "I have what it takes to be a warrior of Berk." Astrid straightened.

"Good," she replied, voice almost a whisper. She turned to face the rest of the children. "Because I don't need people who are too scared to protect their people. If you feel that way, I highly suggest that you leave - now. I have no care for the people who waste my time." Her eyes narrowed, surveying the canopy of parents above her head. No one moved. "Alright. Let's begin."

Ten minutes later, Astrid had the children lined up in a straight line in front of her. She paced up and down in front of them. "What's the most important thing you need in battle?" she asked. Several hands shot up. "Name them."

"An axe!"

"A sword!"

"A doctor?"

Astrid snapped her head towards Brynhild. The Osburns' youngest met her icy blue gaze with wide, innocent eyes. "Did you say that?" Astrid demanded, thoughts immediately racing to Dragon Training eight years earlier. Brynhild shrunk back.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered pathetically, to the disapproving murmurs of Ingrid and Sven in the back. Her thoughts evaporated, and Astrid allowed herself to offer the young child a half-smile.

"Don't be," she replied, dropping her smile. "Never be sorry. Always know what you're doing. Always act. In the midst of battle, you don't have time to think. What I'm going to teach you in the next few lessons will be valuable. You must always be moving. Don't stop, not even to catch your breath. Do you want to be fried dinner for a Monstrous Nightmare tonight?" Mutters of "No," met her question. "That's what I thought." She allowed herself a moment of pause, thoughts reaching a second time to an awkward boy with auburn hair and striking green eyes. She pushed those thoughts away crossly, unsure why the dead Haddock still reached her mind. "Now, what's the most important thing you need in battle?" No one answered this time. "Someone give me an answer. Now."

"An axe?" Eirik asked from the very back of the line. Astrid scowled.

"Wrong," she replied, and reached for her shield. "Your shield is your most important weapon. Your axe can only do so much. Cut a dragon's head off? Sure. Make someone scream with never ending pain? Sure. But your shield will protect you from everything. Dragon fire, Nadder spikes, and even dragon bites." She paused, handing each child a shield. "But let me remind you - never engage in close combat with a dragon. You WILL die."

"Miss Hofferson?" Brynhild's small voice came from the back of the line, interrupting her train of thought. "Can you help me?" Astrid gave an amused smile at the sight of the young Osburn struggling to hold up her shield.

"Miss Astrid will do," she replied, before helping Brynhild hold her shield. "Now. Your shield is also important for another thing," Astrid said. "Can anyone tell me what it is?" The Asgeir son, whose name she could not remember for the life of her, raised his hand. "You," she resorted to saying, pointing her axe at the young boy.

"Hiding?" he asked. Astrid almost laughed.

"No," she scolded. "Hiding gets you nowhere. You hide? You're dead. The dragons will find you. Your shield is also used for making noise. Making noise disorients your opponent - which will be a dragon. Remember - always act. Always move. In the heat of battle, remember these words." She dropped her shield in the wooden box of assorted weaponry, and produced a heavy leather book. "This is the Book of Dragons," she announced. "Read this book. This knowledge is invaluable. One day, it'll save your life in battle." Astrid walked to the doors of the Kill Ring, pausing briefly.  
I will meet you at the Great Hall for breakfast tomorrow." She opened the wooden doors of the Kill Ring, their rusted hinges creaking with protest. "Class dismissed." Disappointed whines met her words.

"What? No dragons?" The Asgeir boy groaned. Astrid whipped around, stalking towards the boy.

"Were you hoping to be killed today?" She snapped. "Did you really think I would pitch a dragon at a bunch of inexperienced six year olds?" Astrid scoffed. "That's practically murder, and I like my life just the way it is." The Asgeir boy opened his mouth, ready to fight back, but Astrid cut him off. "You want to kill a dragon? Fine. The day you beat me in a fight is the day I will let you kill a dragon." The Asgeir boy's eyes narrowed, taking it as a challenge. Astrid leaned down so she was eye to eye with the young boy. "Look. I was your age once. I know how it feels to be undermined and misjudged. I can see the fire in your eyes. You could become Berk's greatest warrior. You have the skills...Asgeir, but you lack the knowledge and patience. A great warrior needs both." She tapped his temple lightly. "As for now, read up. I will be quizzing you first thing in the morning - and I expect correct answers."

The shieldmaiden walked off, axe hoisted on one armored shoulder.

* * *

Aeolus blinked open his eyes, rustling in the silk sheets that the Queen had generously bestowed upon him as a gift of his promotion to the Guard. He yawned, blinking sleepily at the sunlight that seeped through the stained glass windows of the castle. Rubbing his heavy eyelids, Aeolus stood up and began to get dressed.

He had a full timetable today - speak to his Guards, patrol the city...and go to his favorite place in all of the Empire - the library. He made his bed and grabbed the sleek silver sword that rested on his bedside table - another gift, courtesy of the Queen. Aeolus slid the sword into its sheath and gave it a loving pat.

"Aeolus?" The man lifted his head to stare at the intruder that had interrupted his peaceful silence.

"Aleksander," he greeted, nodding at the Guard. "What brings you at this early hour?"

"The Queen has requested your presence," Aleksander spoke. "She's waiting in the North Wing." Aeolus nodded, running his fingers through his unruly auburn locks.

"Thanks, Alex," he said. "Can you tell the Guards that I need to speak with them as soon as I return from my meeting with the Queen?" Aleksander nodded, and the two strode out together. The hallway that lead to the Hall of Heroes was long and winding, and Aeolus often found himself at a loss and longing for companionship. He let his gaze travel to the paintings of Guards before him, their names turned to legends and legacies into stories. Aeolus had never been one to admire the simplicity of the place. In fact, the young man had hardly admired anything in his short life.

He stopped to stare at a painting of a young, blonde woman. Without thinking, Aeolus reached a calloused finger out to trace the cheek of the still woman, whose eyes reminded him of another blonde woman that he had left behind nearly a decade ago.

"Aeolus!" Aeolus drew his hand back, head whipping sharply around to an elegant figure. He bowed deeply.

"Forgive me, my Queen, for being late," he murmured. The Queen laughed, a light, delicate sound that carried through the high arches and long hallways.

"It is I that should apologize for waking you up at this hour," she replied warmly. "But I needed to speak to you." Aeolus nodded his head. "Come, walk with me." The two strolled, side by side, through the North Wing of sleeping dragons. The Queen stopped in front of Toothless, lightly trailing her finger across his sleek face. "Tell me about yourself," she said.

Aeolus hesitated.

"My Queen," he replied. "As much as I respect and honour you, my past is something I don't feel comfortable sharing." The Queen nodded, a sympathetic smile on her ivory face.

"Aeolus," she sighed. "You have been in my kingdom for nearly a decade. Toothless and you have become so talented in your trade, and I can't even begin to imagine all the help you've given to my Guards." She paused, letting her emerald gaze strike Aeolus's own. "I remember when I found you and Toothless on that beach, shivering and soaked to the bone." She stared fondly at Toothless. "That dragon protected you with all he had, warming you and caring for you while you lay unconscious on that beach." Her eyes were distant. "He loves you more than you can imagine," she whispered. Aeolus nodded.

"He's my best friend," he whispered, unable to find his voice. "I don't know what I'd do without him." The Queen nodded, coaxing him to go on. Unable to stop himself, Aeolus continued. "I was born in the North, to a tribe. We...we didn't get along with dragons. In fact, we killed them." Aeolus expected the Queen to react in shock to this, but she showed no emotion. "My father never believed in me...he scorned me and always thought he had raised a better boy. So during a dragon raid, I went against his orders and decided to shoot down a Night Fury. Well, I caught that Night Fury and I trained him." Aeolus paused, gathering his thoughts. "I knew my dad wouldn't let me keep Toothless, but I couldn't let him go. He was, he IS, my best friend. So I ran away." He swallowed the lump gathering in his throat. "I-I know it sounds cowardly and selfish, but I couldn't live with myself if my dad had gotten a hold of Toothless and killed him."

Silence met his words, and Aeolus grew increasingly tired. He opened his mouth, about to speak.

"Oh Aeolus," the Queen whispered, reaching a slender hand out to hold his own. "I'm so sorry." Aeolus bit his lip, hand reaching for the helmet on Toothless's hook. "I didn't know."

Aeolus sighed heavily, and smiled softly at his Queen.

"My Queen, please don't be," he replied. "I needed to tell someone eventually..and honestly? I'm really glad I told you. You did save me and give me a new life here." The Queen smiled back, and the two stared down at the city of marble below them, which stirred with the beginnings of life in a new day. The Queen sighed.

"Aeolus, the trader ships from the North have arrived," she said. "I need you to check with them about Drago. We cannot let him become any stronger." Aeolus nodded, standing up and brushing himself off.

"At once," he replied, dipping his head. "My Queen, if I may take my Guards to help me with this task?" The Queen nodded.

"I will send for them," she said. "And Aeolus, please call me Aeliana." Aeolus stepped back.

"My Queen, it is unprofessional of me to do that," he protested. "You are my superior and to call you by your first name is..." The Queen regarded him with a sharp look.

"It is true that I am your superior. I am also your Queen, and as Queen, I think I have the right to allow you to call me Aeliana." Her voice was lightly veiled with sarcasm. Aeolus couldn't help the blush that rose in his cheeks. She smiled at him. "I will see you around, Aeolus. You're dismissed." She walked back to the doors of the castle, pausing slightly to look back at him, before disappearing down the suddenly crowded hallway.

Aeolus turned to his waking dragon.

"Rise and shine bud!" he grinned. The dragon grumbled at his rider, lifting his paws to whack at the stubborn dragon flies that clung to his scaly head. "You want to come down with me to the docks?" The Night Fury's ears perked up, and nudged his rider so hard he almost fell over. Aeolus laughed. "Come on, bud." Aeolus took his spot on Toothless's back.

"Aeolus, wait!" Callistro's unwomanly shriek rang out, and Toothless reared in surprise. Aeolus yelped.

"The second time, Callistro! Second time!" he grumbled, much to the amusement of his Guards. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead," he muttered. "Laugh at your poor Captain, who had half the life scared out of him!" Callistro shot him a wry smile, which he gladly returned with a glare of his own. They boarded their dragons and began a slow, relaxed descent to the docks.

Aeolus let his mind wander, amazed at how such a diverse group of people found their way into the Guard.

There's Callistro, the hotheaded ginger raised in the eastern mountains of the kingdom, sent to the city of Draconia to pursue a career in the Queen's Guard. Stubborn and hardheaded, Aeolus believed for some time that Callistro was of Viking descent (seeing as Vikings are the stubbornest bunch you'll ever meet - trust me).

Then there's Aleksander, from the North like Aeolus. He was drifting at sea for some time with no memory of how he got there until he reached the Empire's border. The Queen took him under her wing and he's been a strong member of her Guard since.

Lastly, there's Alistaire, born in the city of Draconia. The son of one of the Queen's closest advisors, he was born into prosperity and was lavished with luxuries the civilians could only dream of receiving. Some would say he's pompous, or arrogant, or full of himself, and all were true. Aeolus often found himself comparing Alistaire to Snotlout, seeing as the two shared more similarities than he wanted to believe.

Of course, there's more guards. But Callistro, Aleksander and Alistaire were the closest Aeolus had to a family.

And he wouldn't trade it for anything.

He was pulled back to reality as Toothless let out a screech, sighting the ships docking in port. Aeolus patted his dragon's neck, and hopped off, putting his helmet on and beckoning for the Guards to follow. He surveyed the group of battered ships and settled on one that had the head of a dragon carved into its wood. Interestingly, the ship was charred and claw marks scored deep into the hull of the ship. He raised his hand up and signalled for the dock manager.

"Who owns this ship?" he asked. "When did it arrive and what course did it take? I need to speak to the owner."

"I think you're looking for me, good sir." Aeolus whipped around, and almost stumbled in shock. "Would you like to take a look around? I promise you lots of good stuff."

It was Trader Johann.

Composing himself, Aeolus cleared his throat. "No, I'm here on behalf of Her Highness, Lady of the Dragons." Johann blinked, clearly confused. "We need information." He took a step towards Johann. "Where are you from, sir?"

"From the North. Twelve days north of Hopeless," Johann answered.

"And you are a trader?"

"Yes, sir."

Aeolus blinked beneath the Gronckle iron helmet he donned on his face.

"What course did you take?" he asked. "Those are some interesting claw marks. I'm sure Her Majesty would love to know a bit more."

"I've been out at sea for a bit. If I'm being completely honest, sir, I didn't intend to come to your kingdom. I lost my charts when a flock of Terrors terrorized my poor ship and stole my charts," Johann said. Aeolus's interest sharpened.

"Terrors, you say?" he mused. Johann nodded quickly. "That's quite unlike Terrors, especially from the North. They're relatively docile creatures. I wonder why they attacked."

"Well, they went straight for my charts," Johann put in, trying to be helpful. "It's like they were branded or something. Like a Monstrous Nightmare with a dagger across its face? Yeah, something like that," he mused. "Vicious, vile beings. My poor girl suffered greatly..." Aeolus gave him a strange look.

"Can you repeat what you said about the branding?" Aeolus asked. Johann looked surprised.

"My good sir, it was simply a Monstrous Nightmare and a-"

"Aeolus," Callistro whispered. "Do you think...?" Johann stopped talking, mouth gaping open like a fish. Aeolus felt his shoulders sag.

"Yeah," he replied. "Johann, what do you know about Drago Bludvist?"

Johan gulped. "I-I..." Aeolus leaned towards him. "Not much," he stammered. "One of my friends stayed on Meathead Island for a few days and thought he saw a flock of dragons following this absolute beauty of a ship." Aeolus's interest sharpened.

"Anything else?" he asked. Johann gulped.

"Rumours are that it's headed for Dragon Island, looking for the Alpha." Johann paused. "I don't know if this is the Drago you're looking for, but if we're thinking of the same, evil, twisted man, he's building a dragon army." Johann hesitated, before grasping Aeolus's gloved hand. "My friend, if you wish to live, run. Run as far away as you can. And fast." Aeolus backed up, dread creeping up his spine like spiders on a cobweb.

"No," he whispered. "No." He turned sharply around, gloved hand pointing at the castle. "Back to the Queen!" he bellowed, jumping onto Toothless and heading back without a glance at his fellow Guards.

"Dammit," he swore. "No. No no no." He leaped off of Toothless and began at a run, barking orders at a servant. "Fetch the Queen! Tell her that Captain Aeolus needs to speak with her. Now!" Terrified, the servant ran.

Aeolus paced up and down the stable, much to the concern of his overprotective Night Fury. The dragon crooned, trying to figure out what was wrong with his friend. Aeolus groaned, coming to kneel by his dragon.

"Oh Toothless," he murmured. "If Drago gets a hold of that Alpha, we're all doomed." He ran a hand through his hair, fists forming as he realised how powerless he was to stop this. Toothless nudged Aeolus's side, letting a purr rumble in his chest. It was the dragon's way of showing his support. Aeolus smiled. "Thanks bud," he said, scratching the Night Fury on his chin. "I knew I could count on you."

"Aeolus!" Aeolus was on his feet in an instant, hearing the Queen's sharp voice. "What is the reason for this madness?" Aeolus bowed.

"My Queen, it is urgent," he replied. "I have received word that Drago has headed into the North, looking for the Alpha to build a dragon army." The Queen's eyes widened.

"No," she said grimly. "I won't allow it. Aeolus, I need you to go and scout the islands in the North." Aeolus opened his mouth to object. "Aeolus, I understand that this will bring you down a very bad road again, but remember that if Drago gets the Alpha, we're all dead. You're the only one who knows the North. I need you to go." The Queen's voice was pleading, and bleak. "Please, Aeolus."

"Okay," he breathed, not able to keep a strong front. "And my Queen...I won't fail you." The Queen nodded.

"I know you won't," she murmured. "I trust you, Aeolus. If something becomes of me in this fight against Drago, I know this kingdom will be safe in your hands." Aeolus opened his mouth, and closed it again, not knowing what to say. The Queen clutched his hand tightly in her own, emerald eyes searching his. "Go." With a light shove, she pushed the Captain away and disappeared into the crowd of servants. Aeolus stared after her, before running to Toothless.

"Come on, bud," he said grimly. "We can't let Drago get away. Let's go." Toothless let out his own growl, bunching his muscles as he prepared to take off.

"Wait!" Callistro called, causing Toothless to shriek.

"Oh for the love of Thor," Aeolus grumbled. "Callistro, I'm about to leave on possibly the most dangerous mission I have ever done in my whole life. Can you save the hysterics for after I'm dead?" Callistro scoffed.

"After you're dead?" she asked. "Buddy, I'm not letting you waltz into danger alone. You're my Captain. I protect you at all costs. I don't care what you say, because Gods forbid, I will kill you if you do anything reckless. That being said, I'm going." Aeolus opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it.

"Okay," he grumbled. "Let's go." He dared to throw a warning glance back at Callistro. "But if you get yourself killed, that's not my problem."

As the two took off into the clear blue of the sky, Aeolus turned to look one last time at the city of Draconia, a shining diamond in a valley of mountains and evergreen forests.

 **A/N: If half this story is crappy af and completely terrible, I welcome you to my 2 am, Gatorade induced writing extravaganza! It's something I don't do often, but I did it today because I'm dumb and forgot I have a final tomorrow. I won't leave author's notes often, but I just wanted to remind everyone that these chapters are purely CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. The interesting stuff starts later on (or as you can see, Chapter 3, because I don't like character development and I'm just a bad writer and role model).**

 **Anyways, Wish signing out!**


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